Fibre internet in Gauteng on Openserve (Telkom) network

[jcheek]

Mmm, interesting, mine isn't a Wi-Fi Access point. Model HG8240H. Probably cheaper for Telkom.

Yes, makes sense. After nailing all of us early adopters, they're watching the installation pennies a bit more carefully now!
I see that the HG8240 is a Wi-Fi-less version of the one that I was given, the HG8245H. And it seems that both are already obsolete!

Ah ok, no idea they were using it. I have little need of a landline, would rather go cheap VOIP somewhere.

Yeah, the Telkom Voice-over-fibre option is kindof hard to get proper details on, but it seems that it still goes for ±R200 a month, which is not cheap by any means. Having recently tried it out in The Wilds estate, though, I know that voice quality delivered over the dedicated fibre voice port is exemplary. But it sure is a lot stiffer than the going rate for VoIP (±R50pm +calls, eg SwitchTel's R49pm deal). But maybe there's additional value somewhere in that R200.
I guess Telkom also have to be somewhat careful not to upset their analogue landline business, which is currently positioned at R189pm +calls.

I'm hoping Fibre would give me the stability to actually run a 3rd party VoIP service - had bad experiences over 3G / ADSL (never bothered to try over LTE).

Fibre should be ideal for VoIP, of course. Though as mentioned, it may need some QoS-tweaking to work well over open LAN with a 3rd-party VoIP solution. I would guess that's something the Huawei HG824x ONTs are set up for by default.
Out of interest, Azimuth started a nice thread on his experiences of using SwitchTel VoIP over LTE. He's still using it, actually.
See here, here and here.

On a related note, I've had quite good results with the Zoiper PC-based VoIP softphone over fibre, using MWeb's free SIP accounts.

I ran the [Wilds Estate FTTH] project until I moved out and one of the directors took over. It was a loooong process and we nearly went with Frogfoot, but Telkom eventually got it.

Ah - an informed ex-inside source!

Would be interested to know how well that project went in the end.

As reported here, it seems that it's going fine!

 

[balrog]

Hi Guys - how/when/where do you get your free modem if you go with Telkom, Fibre? I assume OpenServe does all the Telkom Fibre installs?

 

[jcheek]

Hi Guys - how/when/where do you get your free modem if you go with Telkom, Fibre? I assume OpenServe does all the Telkom Fibre installs?

After installation, OpenServe will leave you with the ONT device, which typically has one LAN port open for connection to the WAN port of a downstream router. They will also leave you with an FTTH "circuit number".

Your ISP - whoever that is - will typically supply you with a "free" router, or you can use your own, provided it has an upstream WAN port. They will provision your connection into their system using the provided Telkom FTTH circuit number, and give you a username/password pair. You can use those login details to open a PPPoE connection directly on the ONT and test the connection. Later on, you will enter those same details into your downstream router and it will open the PPPoE connection on the ONT.

By way of example, if you go with Telkom as your ISP (ie an OpenServe/Telkom install), Telkom sometimes supplies the Huawei WS319 as a cheapie downstream router (see here). I've also seen them supply a ZyXEL SBG3300-N(000) "fibre-ready" VDSL router in more recent installs.

 

[balrog]

After installation, OpenServe will leave you with the ONT device, which typically has one LAN port open for connection to the WAN port of a downstream router. They will also leave you with an FTTH "circuit number".

Your ISP - whoever that is - will typically supply you with a "free" router, or you can use your own, provided it has an upstream WAN port. They will provision your connection into their system using the provided Telkom FTTH circuit number, and leave with a username/password pair. You can use the login details to open a PPPoE connection directly on the ONT and test the connection. Later on, you will enter those same details into your downstream router and it will open the PPPoE connection on the ONT.

By way of example, if you go with Telkom as your ISP (ie an OpenServe/Telkom install), Telkom sometimes supplies the Huawei WS319 as a cheapie downstream router (see here). I've also seen them supply a ZyXEL SBG-3300-N000 fibre router in more recent installs.

Awesome reply, thanks! I will just try and re-use my ADSL modem. I see it has a LAN/WAN port, which I hope will do the trick

 

[jcheek]

Awesome reply, thanks! I will just try and re-use my ADSL modem. I see it has a LAN/WAN port, which I hope will do the trick

Then you should be good to go, yeah.
There've been a few people going the way of re-using an xDSL router for fibre lately, eg FF1024 here and Hades911 here.

 

[jacosmit]

Hi there, up which tree can I bark to find out progress regarding the FTTH install in Laudium and Erasmia?

Cable is in I believe but last I heard we were waiting for them to lay/splice the link between Erasmia and Laudium.

Last report from someone close to the install...

Site/s Report: 31-Oct-2016

Erasmia

I had 7 guys on site/s

1.Site:A1A1
Civil
-We repositioned 3 bossal pipes (1 at McDonald street and others at Bart Joubert street).

NB*We left with 1 bossal pipe(Pole is leaning against a live electric fence and the was access at Bart Joubert street).

ALC
In-position for splicing.

2.Site:C5A9

Civil
-We repositioned 1 bossal pipe at Diepkloof street.

ALC
In-position for splicing

 

[jcheek]

Hi there, up which tree can I bark to find out progress regarding the FTTH install in Laudium and Erasmia?

Hi Jaco !
To be honest, unless you know someone in OpenServe/Telkom, or somebody in charge at one of the contractors, there's really no tree you can shake to make this info fall out, especially in a newly-reticulated area.

You can try speaking to one of the team leaders working at the site(s) of interest, but to be honest, the sub-contractors on the ground often don't have the whole picture. They're usually quite optimistic, as in "We'll be done by the end of next week" but that's just the physical site operations. There's generally still some kind of QC inspection and then a formal handover before OpenServe even think about starting to connect people. Even then, there are often teething problems on the new circuits. Not to be a prophet of doom, but in my own case it was a full 7 months from the day the contractors finished the fibre infrastructure on the pole in the corner of my yard, until my WebAfrica fibre connection went live.

In my opinion, your best bet really is just to keep an eye on the Telkom coverage map, and only allow yourself to get moderately excited when your area goes dark purple. This is especially true if you plan to apply through a non-Telkom ISP - my impression is that those guys are mostly just looking at the same coverage map and updating their own websites when Telkom changes an area from light to dark purple.



At least you're actually on the coverage map - in my case it was a month before the light purple "Planning" shade even reflected what was actually finished on the ground.
So rather just take a deep breath, make the best of your current access arrangements and wait it out. You'll save yourself a lot of mental anguish - most of it completely fruitless.
My R0.02 worth ...


PS:

We repositioned 3 bossal pipes (1 at McDonald street and others at Bart Joubert street).

What's a "bossal" pipe ?
Do you mean "Bosal" ? As in steel ? Steel would be unusual ....

 

[jacosmit]

Thank you @jcheek,

I will wait it out then...

 

[jcheek]

Thank you @jcheek,
I will wait it out then...

Sorry to burst your bubble - I know it's not what you wanted to hear!

Hopefully things will go a lot quicker in your case. To be fair, the people involved are all gaining experience quickly, and the process should be more fluid now. I see reports of people getting good turnaround times (once their areas have gone from 'Planned' to 'Available') from the likes of ISPAfrika and sometimes even WebAfrica. Then again, there are still some WebAfrica people well on the way to waiting 3 months ... it really still seems to be pot luck.

 

[BigBear]

Huawei (Telkom Contractors) busy installing some Green Cables for the Last Week around Elarduspark area.

 

[balrog]

Another noob question here

I am getting ONLY the fibre line from AXXESS (via OpenServe for fibre install).

And I still have my capped Vox Fatpipe ADSL special deal going.

Would there be any problems to use my Vox data over the AXXESS fibre line? In my head, in theory, it should work.

Anybody else doing this successfully at the moment?

 

[ebendl]

Another noob question here

I am getting ONLY the fibre line from AXXESS (via OpenServe for fibre install).

And I still have my capped Vox Fatpipe ADSL special deal going.

Would there be any problems to use my Vox data over the AXXESS fibre line? In my head, in theory, it should work.

Anybody else doing this successfully at the moment?

Not doing it at the moment (see earlier post -- still waiting for Telkom to come and figure out why my fibre line is dead ) but everything I've read says that you should be able to do it.

 

[jacosmit]

Sorry to burst your bubble - I know it's not what you wanted to hear!

No Problem

WebAfrica...

I'd rather take my chances elsewhere. Looking at www.infinityfibre.co.za 20Mbps View+ package. According to the sales lady, it's a 1:1 contention...

 

[Charly]

No Problem



I'd rather take my chances elsewhere. Looking at www.infinityfibre.co.za 20Mbps View+ package. According to the sales lady, it's a 1:1 contention...

The lady most likely doesn't know what she's talking about. You're looking at like R20k for a connection with that contention.

Look at the other thread about them.

 

[jacosmit]

The lady most likely doesn't know what she's talking about. You're looking at like R20k for a connection with that contention.

Look at the other thread about them.

That was what I thought too.
Gooi me the link to the other thread please?

 

[Charly]

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=852712

http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=797814

 

[balrog]

Not doing it at the moment (see earlier post -- still waiting for Telkom to come and figure out why my fibre line is dead ) but everything I've read says that you should be able to do it.

We're in the same boat then. the red LOS LED on my ONT is going on and off. Apparently an issue at the "exchange". Still not resolved, "SIGH".

 

[Nimz]

Another noob question here

I am getting ONLY the fibre line from AXXESS (via OpenServe for fibre install).

And I still have my capped Vox Fatpipe ADSL special deal going.

Would there be any problems to use my Vox data over the AXXESS fibre line? In my head, in theory, it should work.

Anybody else doing this successfully at the moment?

Im currently using my Vox data on my Fibre line due to my ISP being so cr@p, so to answer your question.....yes, it does work

No Problem
I'd rather take my chances elsewhere. Looking at www.infinityfibre.co.za 20Mbps View+ package. According to the sales lady, it's a 1:1 contention...

Hell no! Please stay far far away from them. Read my thread as linked by Charly

 

[jacosmit]

Thank you

 

[Charly]

Oops. I didn't see that you said you wanted 20mbps until now. R20k is usually the price for 100mbps with almost no contention (that's the price I got quoted for 1:4)